§578 Promotions: How Made; Effective Date

Summary

When a selection board picks warrant officers for promotion and the relevant Secretary approves it, the Secretary puts the approved names on one promotion list for each grade in the order required by section 576(c). Promotions from that list happen when more warrant officers are needed in that grade, under rules the Secretary issues, and they are given in the list order after earlier selections in that grade have been promoted. A promoted regular warrant officer is appointed to the new regular grade and a reserve warrant officer to the new reserve grade. The Secretary sets the appointment date and date of rank, and pay starts on that appointment date. The appointment is treated as accepted unless the officer says no. An officer who has served continuously since taking the oath under section 3331 of title 5 does not need to take another oath. Under rules from the Secretary of Defense, a selected warrant officer may be moved to a different component’s corresponding promotion list before final placement, and that promotion is handled under section 12242.